Harper’s Weekly – October 26, 1861

Harper's Weekly archives ^ | October 26, 1861

[Homer_J_Simpson]

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous Harper’s Weekly thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4004862/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Fight at Chickamacomico – 1-2, 8
The “Great Eastern” in the Storm – 1, 18-19
Why the War Moves Slowly – 1-2
England Paying the Piper – 2
The Lounger – 2-4
A Night Reconnoissance on the Potomac – 3
Humors of the Day – 5
Domestic Intelligence – 6
Foreign News – 6
Grand Cavalry and Artillery Review at Washington, October 8, 1861 – 7, 21
Camp of the Sixth Regiment New York Volunteers (Wilson’s Zouaves), on Santa Rosa Island, Florida, Fort Pickens in the Distance – 9, 21
The War Balloon at General M’Dowell’s Head-Quarters Preparing for a Reconnoissance – 10, 21
General Fremont’s Camp near Jefferson City, Missouri – 11, 21
Merchant Steamers Converted into Gun-Boats – 12
Southern Harbors – 13-15
Lou and the Lieutenant– 15-16
Our Paducah Sketches – 17-18
M’Clellan – 18
A Strange Story, by sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Ch. XXX – 19-21
The Soldier’s Last Word – 21
Jeff Davis Reaping the Harvest – 22

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Inside Lincoln’s White House: The Complete War Diary of John Hay, edited by Michael Burlingame and John R. Turner Ettlinger

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Civil War Papers of George B. McClellan: Selected Correspondence 1860-1865, edited by Stephen W. Spears

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Major Wilder Dwight: Saturday Night, October 26, 1861 (Dwight continues his account of Ball’s Bluff.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/09/major-wilder-dwight-saturday-night.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: October 26, 1861 (“Immense amounts of patriotic contributions, in clothing and provisions, are daily registered.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-october_48.html

[BroJoeK]

"Inside Lincoln’s White House: The Complete War Diary of John Hay, edited by Michael Burlingame and John R. Turner Ettlinger"

It's easy to dislike Democrat McClellan, but at this point in the war Lincoln is willing to buy little Mac's excuses, and that's probably a good thing.

If nothing else, the Battle of Ball's Bluff demonstrated yet again the Union Army of the Potomac is NOT ready for prime time.

[BroJoeK]

"Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: October 26, 1861 (“Immense amounts of patriotic contributions, in clothing and provisions, are daily registered.”)"

Referring to Confederates at Richmond, VA.
Reports from Confederate army units in, for example, West Virginia, were recently suggesting something quite different.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Inside Lincoln’s White House: The Complete War Diary of John Hay, edited by Michael Burlingame and John R. Turner Ettlinger

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from September 20 (reply #27).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3994737/posts#27

Jean Edward Smith, Grant

[Homer_J_Simpson]

All for the Union: The Civil War Diary and Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes, edited by Robert Hunt Rhodes

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Commandant Samuel F. Dupont to Gustavus V. Fox, Friday, October 27, 1861 (“I trust in God we shall be able to get out to-morrow.”

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/11/commandant-samuel-f-dupont-to-gustavus_16.html

Major Rutherford B. Hayes to Sardis Birchard, October 27, 1861 (“The paymasters are here at last, making the men very happy with their pretty government notes and gold.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/03/major-rutherford-b-hayes-to-sardis_6.html

Major Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, October 27, 1861 (“I dined in a tent with fourteen officers and one lady on Wednesday. Her husband was formerly a steamboat captain, now a major in [the] First Kentucky.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/03/major-rutherford-b-hayes-to-lucy-webb_8.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: October 27, 1861 (“The press everywhere is thundering against the insane policy of permitting all who avow themselves enemies to return to the North; and I think Mr. B. is beginning to wince under it.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-october_45.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Today’s posts:

John Hay, reply #8
“Grant,” #9
Elisha Hunt Rhodes, #10
Links to 4 items at Civil War Notebook, #11

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Abraham Lincoln to Simon Cameron, October 28, 1861 (“I have not sufficient time to study and mature an opinion on this plan. If the Secretary of War has confidence in it, and is satisfied to adopt it, I have no objections.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2016/09/abraham-lincoln-to-simon-cameron_20.html

Commandant Samuel F. Dupont to Gustavus V. Fox, Monday, October 28, 1861 – 2 p.m. (Preparations continue for the expedition to the south.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/11/commandant-samuel-f-dupont-to-gustavus_28.html

Commandant Samuel F. DuPont to Gustavus V. Fox, Monday Evening, October 28, 1861 (A possible security breach, but, “We sail at Daylight and may God give us success is the prayer of Yours, Most truly”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/12/commandant-samuel-f-dupont-to-gustavus.html

Major Wilder Dwight: October 28, 1861 (“The enemy’s pickets ornament the opposite shore, while we adorn this.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/09/major-wilder-dwight-october-28-1861.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: October 28, 1861 (“The most gigantic naval preparations have been made by the enemy; and they must strike many blows on the coast this fall and winter.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-october_35.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from September 18 (reply #17).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3994737/posts#17

Bruce Catton, Terrible Swift Sword

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Commandant Samuel F. DuPont to Gustavus V. Fox, Tuesday, October 29, 1861 – 9 a.m. (The great expedition is under way.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2018/12/commandant-samuel-f-dupont-to-gustavus_12.html

Diary of Major Rutherford B. Hayes: Tuesday Morning, October 29, 1861 (“I thought McClellan was to mend all this. “We have had our last defeat, we have had our last retreat,” he boasted. Well, well, patience!”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/03/diary-of-major-rutherford-b-hayes.html

Diary of Major Rutherford B. Hayes: Tuesday Evening, October 29, 1861 (Maj. Hayes ponders death and the afterlife. Is there one?)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/03/diary-of-major-rutherford-b-hayes_10.html

Major Rutherford B. Hayes to Birchard A. Hayes, October 29, 1861 (Birthday letter to a son.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/03/major-rutherford-b-hayes-to-birchard.html

Edward Everett to Charles Francis Adams, October 29, 1861 (Everett thinks there may still be danger of Great Britain recognizing the Confederacy.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/04/edward-everett-to-charles-francis-adams_20.html

Diary of Josephine Shaw Lowell: October 29, 1861 (Massachusetts men behaved gallantly at Ball’s Bluff.)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/10/diary-of-josephine-shaw-lowell-october_29.html

Address of Reverend James Freeman Clarke at the Funeral of William Lowell Putnam, October 29, 1861

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/11/address-of-reverend-james-freeman.html

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: October 29, 1861 (“The election to take place during the ensuing month creates no excitement.”)

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-october_96.html

Diary of Judith W. McGuire: Tuesday, October 29, 1861 (“A little reverse to record this morning. It is said that Colonel McDonald’s cavalry made an unfortunate retreat from Romney the other day, as the enemy approached.”

https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/02/diary-of-judith-w-mcguire-tuesday.html

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Civil War Papers of George B. McClellan: Selected Correspondence 1860-1865, edited by Stephen W. Spears

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued October 20 (reply #5).

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4004862/posts#5

Douglas Southall Freeman, Lee, an abridgement by Richard Harwell

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from October 1 (reply #26). The NY Tribune article described at near the end of the following excerpt was published on this date.

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3998719/posts#26

1

2

James Lee McDonough, William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country, A Life

[Homer_J_Simpson]

All for the Union: The Civil War Diary and Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes, edited by Robert Hunt Rhodes